Looming over west London is a scorched relic of Britain's worst postwar fire, a 24-storey shell which doctors fear is worsening symptoms of trauma.

Grenfell Tower, once teeming with life, sits behind cordons 100 days on from the fire, uncovered and empty but for the recovery teams picking through its remains.

Plans are in place for protective wrapping to be placed around the building, shielding it from view ahead of an eventual demolition.

Doctors have welcomed the move, saying the structure serves as a daily reminder to the neighbourhood of its loss.

For others living in Grenfell Tower's shadow, distress comes from witnessing its transformation into a place of macabre pilgrimage, as tourists pose for selfies at the base.

Dr Meena Nathan, a GP who has worked in the area for three years, lost several patients in the fire and used to visit the tower on call.

Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building (Image: Rick Findler/PA Wire)

She told the Press Association: "There are common themes I have seen (among patients), which are flashbacks of the events, a lot of people currently are finding it difficult to see the tower at the moment.

"Where they are living across from the tower, it is a constant reminder and they are having flashbacks when they are looking at it.

"A couple of patients were saying that they can still hear the children screaming.

"I know recently patients have been upset by having tourists and having people coming and taking selfies with the tower - they are finding it very disrespectful and I understand that."

Physical symptoms have also surfaced as a result of the trauma, including headaches, joint and muscle pain, she said.

Urban Search and Rescue officers from London Fire Brigade inside the Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building on Wednesday morning. (Image: David Mirzoeff/PA Wire)

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According to NHS data, some 457 adults have been singled out as requiring "urgent" treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

For some, the blackened Grenfell Tower has exacerbated their mental anguish.

Dr Alastair Bailey, the clinical psychological lead at the NHS Grenfell trauma service, said: "The fact that the tower is still there and is very high and visible from a number of different places, it can act as a trigger for a lot of people.

"So we know lots of people are avoiding the area, some people who are not avoiding the area are actively avoiding looking at the tower nearby.

"We do know that it is a very visible reminder and a cause of some of the PTSD symptoms which we have talked about."